Border Guard Arrests 18 and Stops Smuggling of 320 Kilograms of Khat and 79,300 Tablets

Saudi border patrols reported four separate operations in Asir and Jazan that targeted shipments of khat and regulated tablets. The operations led to the arrest of 18 Ethiopian nationals, according to authorities.

In Asir, patrols in the Al-Raboua sector arrested four Ethiopians accused of smuggling 80 kilograms of khat and violating the Border Security Law. In Jazan’s Al-Dayer sector, patrols arrested 12 more Ethiopians over an alleged shipment of 240 kilograms of khat.

The same sector produced two additional tablet-related cases. Two Ethiopian nationals were arrested over the alleged smuggling of 20,800 tablets subject to medical-circulation regulations. In a separate operation in Al-Dayer, patrols stopped an attempted shipment of 58,500 tablets.

Authorities said they completed the initial legal procedures in all four cases and transferred the suspects, where applicable, along with the seized items to the competent authority. They urged the public to report information through emergency and anti-narcotics numbers, adding that reports would remain confidential and informants would bear no responsibility for the information provided.